


First Failure

by Yotsubadancesintherain5



Category: Nichijou | My Ordinary Life (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26600473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yotsubadancesintherain5/pseuds/Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: Nano comes home with a bad test score.
Kudos: 11





	First Failure

Nano stared at that abysmal number for what seemed like hours. Really, it was probably about thirty seconds. Her test score was written in red, declared fifty-three percent and a note by the teacher to do better next time. But Nano had tried her best.

Nano could hear Yuuko scream behind her. Apparently Yuuko got two percent on her test. Nano’s heart lurched in sympathy and she leaned forward, her key hitting the back of her chair.

Nano had tried her best and failed. She thought that Yuuko had done the same. Mio would’ve laughed until her soul left her body if Nano told her this.

Nano felt a hand lightly touch her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her seat. Nano saw Mai walk past her desk and out the door and wasn’t sure how to process that light affection.

But she managed to say good-bye to her friends, even if it was forlorn, and the way home went as it normally did. Nano’s head was down. She could only think of that fifty-three percentage. When she got home she did not call out her arrival. She took off her shoes and her school bag, leaving them by the door.

She trudged into the living room and fell to the floor.

Hakase came in five minutes later and went to go find some sort of snack. Nano did not even have the strength to scold Hakase for spoiling her appetite for dinner.

Nano felt a potato chip poke the corner of her mouth. She glanced up to see Hakase with the chip in hand.

“You’re so hungry that you collapsed, Nano,” Hakase said, childish scolding in her voice.

“No, it’s – “Nano sat up and swiped at her watery eyes. “I failed a test, and I studied so hard!”

Nano was not used to such failure. Hakase was not knowledgeable in that level of failure. She couldn’t say anything.

She got up and poured a glass of milk for Nano. She set it down on the table.

At that moment Sakamoto jumped up on the table and surveyed his surroundings.

“What’s with the face?” he asked.

Nano scrubbed at her face. “I failed a test and I _tried_ so hard!”

Nano and Hakase had no precedent for this type of situation. But Sakamoto had seen this happen many, many times with his old owner.

“You tried your best and you failed,” he said matter-of-factly. “It’s human to make mistakes. You just have to figure out what went wrong and try again.”

It was a standard thing to say, but Nano had a wobbly smile on her face and Hakase looked contemplative.

Sakamoto was probably going to say something grand with a pose to follow but in trying to do so his paw swept out and knocked over the glass of milk. For once it was not caused by his cat instincts.

“Ah, Sakamoto!” Hakase shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him.

“I forgot that was there!” Sakamoto protested. “It was an accident!”

“Yes, it’s only human,” Nano said, her voice newly joyful.

“But Sakamoto _isn’t_ a human!”

“I’m telling you it was an accident!”

“If we say that Sakamoto forgot that the glass was there, Hakase,” Nano said, “Then we can say that you forgot that dinner was going to be in an hour and I won’t have to deny you dessert for three days?”

Hakase guiltily handed over the potato chip bag. Nano closed it up with a little triumph.

She would take Sakamoto’s words to heart. And if this happened again she’d be more diligent about Hakase’s snacking.


End file.
